Thousands of protesters gather outside Portugal's parliament over the housing crisis

A mass rally took place in Lisbon outside the parliament building against the housing crisis and alleged police violence. The demonstration was a response to the clearing of protest camps in Lisbon and Porto; the sides differ on the number of injured.

Otabek YusupovFirst published on tafs uz 28 October 2026 at 07:432 min read

The key facts

Thousands of people protested outside Portugal's parliament against the housing crisis and police actions
The rally followed the clearing of protest camps in Lisbon and Porto, with dozens of arrests
Activists speak of 60 injured, while police report seven minor injuries

Rally outside parliament

On Tuesday evening, thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the Portuguese parliament building in Lisbon, protesting against the housing crisis and, as they claim, police violence. Participants held up bunches of keys, cardboard houses and red carnations, sang the song 'É a nossa morada' ('It is our home') and chanted anti-fascist slogans; placards demanded respect for the right to housing and condemned the treatment of activists. Singer Mariza Lis joined the rally. This is reported by Euronews.

Trigger: camp clearances and a dispute over the number of injured

The demonstration was a response to police operations to clear protest camps in Lisbon and Porto, during which police used batons and made dozens of arrests. The figures on the injured differ: activists said 60 people were hurt, while police reported seven people with minor injuries. President António José Seguro criticised the use of force and called for dialogue, saying he would wait for the results of the investigations; the police described their actions as proportionate.

The protesters' demands

The demonstrators are demanding that the government abandon plans to simplify the eviction procedure and remove caps on rent under new tenancy agreements. Thus, the protest concerns not only the police actions during the camp clearances, but also the forthcoming changes to housing regulation, which have not yet been adopted.